SAN JOSE, California- A California county will pay nearly $1 million (euro840,000) to settle a lawsuit brought by the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club after police shot and killed three guard dogs during raids of the group's headquarters and suspected members' homes, according to a media report Tuesday.
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved the $990,000 (euro826,860) settlement in a closed session Monday, the San Francisco Chronicle daily reported. The decision came two months after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the county's arguments that sheriff's deputies should be immune from liability in the case.
The San Jose Police Department also was named in the suit because its officers shot the dogs, but the city hasn't worked out an agreement with club members. City Attorney Rick Doyle told the paper the case may go to trial.
Lower court judges ruled that actions of the deputies and San Jose police officers during the January 1998 were unreasonable, most of the evidence obtained was unnecessary and the officers did nothing to avoid killing the animals. A lawyer for club members says a lot of property was destroyed in the raids and some evidence was kept for more than a year.
Ninety officers raided the club's San Jose headquarters and nine homes of suspected members to gather evidence against suspected member Steve Tausan who was being held on murder charges in connection with an August 1997 killing at a strip club.
Tausan was acquitted of all counts in 1999 after arguing the killing was in self-defense.
The settlement with the county includes $530,000 (euro442,663) in attorney's fees and $460,000 (euro384,19 to be divided among 15 people including eight current or former Hells Angels members, six spouses or significant others and one friend of a member.
Officers from the cities of Santa Clara and Gilroy also were involved in the raids, and those cities settled their cases several years ago for a total of less than $50,000, (euro41,761) the plaintiffs' lawyer told the Chronicle.
Posted by: Investigator25
Lesson learned: Next time aim directly for HA
Posted by: actsholy
What is this world coming to
Posted by: PBiddy35
I don't care how innocent the dogs were. When you put yourself in an organization bent on violence via ball-pin hammers your putting your pup at risk.
Posted by: MARINECOP
Absolute disgrace. The countries number one meth producer/public enemy number one is a lot richer now. Next time they won't purchase cheap dogs, it will be a top notch security system with the artillery to match thanks to the Santa Clara County court.
Posted by: 2-Delta
Stupid hippy CA. If the the judge's son od's on meth maybe then he'll understand?
ma police, boston ma police, massachusetts police, massachusetts police, mass state police, mass police, ma, mass, massachusetts, massachusetts, massachutes, massachusetts law, massachusetts polece, police, officer, police officer, cops, police gear, law enforcement, police duty gear, state police, sheriff, law, police supply, police agency directory, police agency, police department, traffic officer, police dept, state trooper, dispatcher, massachusetts county sheriff, massachusetts sheriff, massachusetts department of corrections, ma doc, doc, dept of corrections, police information, civil service, ma civil service, massachusetts crime, police training, police academy, ma police academy, massachusetts officers, masscop, masscops, mpa, bpa, ibpoa, police association, massachusetts police news, massachusetts crime news, mass most wanted, police career information, police patrol, police administration, police books, crime scene training, police discussion, crime discussions, cops
About MassCops, the home for Massachusetts law enforcement.
The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network opened in 1998 and is now a part of the New England Police Network The site is a pro-police discussion forum intended for sworn police officers and civilian law enforcement officials as well as those interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement here in Massachusetts.
The goal of The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network is to provide an informal network of law enforcement officials here in Massachusetts for educational and informational purposes.
The forum covers many topics such as Police Related News Articles, Agency & Profession Discussions, Police Training as well as Law Enforcement Career Information.
The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network and The New England Police Network (NEPN) and it's network sites are privately owned websites/domains and are not affiliated with or endorsed by any government association or agency.
MassCops (masscops.com) and (masscop.com) are privately owned are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Massachusetts Coalition of Police (masscop.org)
to be divided among 15 people including eight current or former Hells Angels members, six spouses or significant others and one friend of a member.
The countries number one meth producer/public enemy number one is a lot richer now. Next time they won't purchase cheap dogs, it will be a top notch security system with the artillery to match thanks to the Santa Clara County court. 
ma police, boston ma police, massachusetts police, massachusetts police, mass state police, mass police, ma, mass, massachusetts, massachusetts, massachutes, massachusetts law, massachusetts polece, police, officer, police officer, cops, police gear, law enforcement, police duty gear, state police, sheriff, law, police supply, police agency directory, police agency, police department, traffic officer, police dept, state trooper, dispatcher, massachusetts county sheriff, massachusetts sheriff, massachusetts department of corrections, ma doc, doc, dept of corrections, police information, civil service, ma civil service, massachusetts crime, police training, police academy, ma police academy, massachusetts officers, masscop, masscops, mpa, bpa, ibpoa, police association, massachusetts police news, massachusetts crime news, mass most wanted, police career information, police patrol, police administration, police books, crime scene training, police discussion, crime discussions, cops